Tuesday, June 30, 2009

As fast as this year has gone, it really should be no surprise that the past month has flown too, but it is still hard to believe Jackson is already a month (and a few days) old! I feel like a bit of a slacker since Jamie now has 2 kiddos and is already posting more than me so I figured I'd take advantage of my new routine (trying to get up and stay up when Joey leaves for work each morning) and do a quick post this morning.

First, I don't believe I ever shared the link to the Caring Bridge site I have set up for Dad, but here it is:http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/lynnhabluetzelYou do have to create a log in to view the updates, but you can sign up for notifications that way so it's hopefully more harm than good for those of you that are interested.

Next, of course is a Jackson update. He had his 1 month checkup last Friday. I actually had my 1 month post-partum as well and I'm back to "normal" so that's good, but enough about me. :) Our little guy is still little, but he's healthy so what more can we ask for (some babies are just smaller and if the doctor isn't worried, neither are we). For those of you that are curious though, Jackson is now weighing 7 lbs, 7 oz, which keeps him in the 5th percentile. As long as he maintains or grows steadily into a higher %, I'm happy and from what I've read, in the early months, babies should gain about an oz a day and since he gained more than that on avg from his 2 week to 1 month, there's no concern. That means he should be about 9 lbs by his 2 month appointment (which happens to fall on my birthday - 7/27) so we'll just wait and see. As far as length, he's in the 25th percentile at 21 inches long currently. He's also holding his head up a little more every day and we've enjoyed some good tummy time on the mat although I keep forgetting to snap a picture so hopefully that will happen this week.

Enough about all that though and on to more fun things - pictures. Aunt Sheri came to visit for a few days last week and of course is as smitten with Jackson as we are. We also ventured to Fort Worth while Daddy was in San Antonio for "Aunt" Kim's baby shower. Of course there are a few random other picutres from day to day stuff too.

Meeting Aunt Sheri!

I don't hate bath time quite as much anymore (although I still don't like it that much either!)

Getting ready to get a new diaper!

Most of the time I'd rather be held than in my rocker/bouncer

I already talk with my hands a lot!

I was exicted to see "Aunt" Kim again at her baby shower. I was her birthday present too - we're both May 27th birthdays! I can't wait to meet my pal, Ben when he arrives in September!

Buddy still doesn't like to hang out by me for long, but I will make him my friend!

Because Grandpa Lynn still isn't feeling that great, it sounds like I'll be making my first long-distance (excluding the one I already took to Fort Worth) :) road trip to Kansas the weekend of the 10th. Stay tuned for plenty of pictures from that although hopefully you'll see more before then as it's my first 4th of July coming up this weekend!

Monday, June 22, 2009

The joys of new parents (as we're quickly learning) are many, however, the free time is definitely slim so while I've always tried to be at least a once a week poster, it's been almost 3 since my last update. It has been amazing and we're starting to ease into a little more routine every day so that hopefully when it's time for me to go back to work everything will fall into place. We are looking forward to our visit from Aunt Sheri later this week, and we'll have our month checkup (both Jackson and Mommy) Friday so hopefully he's continued to grow and mommy has continued to "shrink". Saturday, daddy is headed to San Antonio until Sunday afternoon to visit his friend Will who is temporarily home from Germany/Iraq so mommy and Jackson will be venturing with "Aunt Christina" to Fort Worth for the shower for "Aunt Kim" (who is so gracious to share her birthday with Jackson). Not much else to say for now, but of course, we'll share some pictures of the past few weeks!

Cuddling with Granny Becky before she headed back to Kansas 5/31

Cuddling with Grandma Shoup on her visit

Sometimes, you just have to cry...

...but a lot of the time, Daddy can make it all better!

We did some backyard pictures on 6/7 - Jack & Grandma Shirley

Our first bath - we did NOT like this!

Between screams, we got all dried off in our huge ducky towel!

Having a snooze on the quilt made by Granny Becky, wrapped in the blanket made by Granny Great (Great Grandma Liby)

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

As most of you probably heard by now, Jackson Kenneth Shoup joined us at 1:02 pm last Wednesday, May 27th, 2009. He weighed in at 6 lbs, 1 oz, and 19 & 1/2 inches long. A few pictures of his first day:My doctor holding HIM up for the first time. I'll admit that as soon as I heard Joey say "It's a Boy", I teared up with excitement. I assume I would have cried had he said "girl" as well, but while I wouldn't let myself have a feeling either way boy/girl, I really did lean more towards boy.

Such a proud papa!

Daddy changing diapers - he's pretty good - although the first change was done for an audience so there were some nerves and yes, he did get peed on. :)

I'm ready for my close-up!

We were so crazed trying to get out of the hospital that we FORGOT to take Jackson's picture in the car seat. I can tell you that he didn't care for it much, but today's trip to the pediatrician went much better so we did snap one this time!

It's been a whirlwind week, that's for sure, but we're loving it! Yes, we're probably a bit sleep-deprived, but that's "normal" so we're just taking it in stride as best we can, especially considering for many, the first week's can be much rougher, whether it's a sick baby or a sick mom that result in more hospital time than we were lucky to have. I'm still a bit sore from the c-section, but the more I move around, the better I feel and of course the pain pills don't hurt and I'm just trying to space them out further apart to ween myself as much as possible.

Joey has been the picture of a perfect father, doting on Jackson, encouraging me, and still making sure Buddy gets plenty of attention so that's made the whole process so much easier on us as a family. I'm sad he's heading back to work tomorrow, but know I'll be able to handle it, although I may not get near as much done as I hope, it will all come with time.

My mom came and stayed with us Friday (with me in the hospital giving Joey a break to come home, get a good night's sleep, and "prepare Buddy") and Saturday (our first night home!). Granny Habluetzel LOVED meeting Jackson (even though he wasn't a she as she had really thought). :) Unfortunately, due to my dad's illness, her stay was abbreviated, but hopefully she and dad will be able to come back for longer once he is on the mend. That said, his diagnosis of Stage 4 lung cancer was MUCH worse than originally expected and especially tough to receive while in the hospital just a day after Jackson was born, at least for me, and that's been tough, but we're confident that since the doctors seem optimistic that all will go well, although we know that the road will be a bit rocky with chemo starting in just a few days.

Jackson had his first pediatric appointment today and is already back at his birth weight so that's very encouraging with the struggles of nursing that I've felt, but it means that despite the small hurdles, things are going right. We'll go back again next week and hopefully have another uneventful visit.

Tomorrow, Joey's mom will fly in to stay with us for a week so that will be a great help since Joey is heading back to work and while I'm hopeful that I can do a lot on my own, I know that it won't hurt to have an extra set of hands and of course, introduce Jackson to his Grandma Shoup!